Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, the departments are very aware of our fiscal situation. There were a number of initiatives that were started in the previous government that we have carried on, and for which we take ownership for the results. I believe the Member is referring to capital projects, and so on.

There was an exercise under the previous Minister responsible for Finance in the previous government to have departments identify a $10 million savings in capital. We have carried on with that. Departments are dealing with that issue. They have assured us that they will identify $10 million or thereabouts, reductions in the capital budgets. The details of how they do that is something that will come out in the main estimates. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I must say, Mr. Handley is a pretty good stick-handler as well. I would like to know, since the Minister said that in fact there will be this work done in the main estimates, then in the interim appropriation, is it more in line with a "stand-pat" or status quo, or in fact is there some of that work being done now? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. While the general direction is for a basically a "stand-pat" budget, I expect that as departments prepare their interim appropriations, then they are keeping the whole year in mind. Realizing this is a four-month period of the year, then yes, I expect that there may be some reflection in their priorities as laid out in the interim appropriations, within the guidelines we gave them. That will reflect some of the direction they are intending to move in over the balance over the coming fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister Handley. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Premier and it relates to my opening comments. There have been obligations made by the former Premier of this government that they will seriously consider those land claim obligations that I had mentioned in my statement, especially the economic chapter, to ensure that this government will revisit it.

There is also an obligation to ensure that people within this government, the beaureaucrats, people in different departments, boards, agencies, will set a course on exactly what these land claim agreements really mean, and what the obligations of this government are. There are land claim agreements and treaty rights, yet this government still seems to have the colonial attitude that nothing has changed.

These land claims have been in place for a number of years, and yet aboriginal groups are having to claw their way through to get anything out of this government, especially when it comes to improving their economic and social conditions. We find our aboriginal people in a lot of our small communities in these conditions. I would like to ask the Premier, what is he doing as the Premier to ensure these obligations will be carried out, and that we will be assured that the land claim agreements will be lived up to? And that people who work within this government will be able to understand exactly what these land claim agreements are all about. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe that this is one of the potential agenda items for the intergovernmental forum, the recognition, the negotiations, and the implementation of agreements, whether they be treaties, self-government agreements, or land claim agreements. If it is a three-party agreement, the federal government, aboriginal governments, and the Government of the Northwest Territories, it requires a tripartite approach to deciding what the issues are and what the approach should be to deal with it. I agree with the Member, it should be something we all commit to making an improvement on, and it will be suggested to our government to be an agenda item with the federal government and the aboriginal governments. Thank you.

Thank you, Premier Kakfwi. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are already obligations in place. I mentioned the land claim agreements. It is a constitutionally entrenched document. Those obligations supercede a lot of the policies and regulations that are in place by this government and people within this government have to understand that.

With that, there are also agreements in place like the political accord that was signed between the Inuvialuit, the Gwich'in, this government and the federal government to make sure that they are consulted on all aspects of the implementation of their land claim agreements, to look at the economic opportunities within those jurisdictions.

I would like to ask the Premier again, what is this government doing to ensure that those agreements are being adhered to and being carried out to the full wording of those agreements? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have had discussions between myself and the Minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs, Mr. Jim Antoine. We have agreed that there should be a comprehensive approach to improving relations between the aboriginal government and ourselves. We are also working to establish a more productive relationship between the federal government and ourselves.

As I have said, it is our intention as a government to make that suggestion. It is the intent of the political accords to improve the relationship between aboriginal governments and ourselves. Specifically, the recognition, the negotiation, the implementation of land claim and self-government agreements is on the agenda.

We need the cooperation and support of aboriginal governments and the federal government to ensure these documents become the basis for improved relations and work as instruments for the improvement of lives of beneficiaries.

We have no difficulty with the suggestion the Member is making. It is the prerogative of the aboriginal governments to pursue that. We intend to initiate that as well. Thank you.

Thank you, Premier Kakfwi. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Premier, due to the commitments we have made, I would like to ask the Premier if he would personally intervene in the case of Chii Construction and the Inuvik Regional Health Board? I feel injustice has been served, in which there was no consideration whatsoever regarding the aboriginal rights under the land claims agreements, especially on the economic measures side.

Also, there was not one aboriginal person on the committee who performed the review. I feel this is another area where injustice has been served. I would like to ask the Premier if he would consider intervening as the Premier of this government to ensure justice is being served? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Premier Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We will follow up on the suggestion the Member is making. Thank you.

Thank you, Premier Kakfwi. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Premier for that. I think we, as a government, should take the time to educate, not only the people in the government, but also ourselves. Many people in this House do not really understand aboriginal rights and land claim agreements.

I would like to have some assurances from this government that they will make a vigorous effort to ensure that takes place. There are many people in this government who have just arrived in the Territory and do not realize there are different ways of dealing with things in the Northwest Territories. Can I have a commitment from the Premier that it will be a priority of this government and this Cabinet to ensure this takes place? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the Member for the suggestion. I think it is imperative that we not only work to ensure that all officials and people within the government understand the spirit and intent of land claim agreements, let alone the actual contents, but that we work together with the claimant groups to develop a common understanding of the contents, spirit and intent of those agreements. It has been too long that we have sat by ourselves, becoming familiar with the contents from our own perspectives. It is now time to come together and work together. I understand our government has set up a working group to look at the economic chapters and provisions of the Gwich'in and Sahtu claim. federal officials, Gwich'in officials, and officials of this government have started to work together to clarify what those provisions are, with an undertaking to work together once there is a common agreement on the spirit and intent. Thank you.

Thank you, Premier Kakfwi. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services. It is regarding the Inuvik Regional Health Board, which she is responsible for.

I was surprised to hear there is no appeal process in place when they spend public funds, or allocate funds through contracts. I would like to ask the Minister if she will look into the allegation that there is no appeal process in place. As a Minister, can she intervene in the case of Chii Construction, who held a contract for three years and were surprised to find they were listed in seventh place out of nine bidders? They were the lowest bidder, had three years experience, and people already trained and in place. They came in seventh place. If they were the lowest bidder, lower than the person who was awarded the contract, is that the way the government is spending its money in the Department of Health and Social Services? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services. Madam Minister, I heard two questions in there. You can choose which one you would like to respond to. Mrs. Groenewegen.